The Story of Jackie Rogers
by painting of the voice
Summary: In Captain America, we hear so much of Steve but very little of his family. This is the story of his younger sister and his best friend. Rated M for mature.
1. Introduction

**Note: This is taken from Captain America but it is not about Captain America**

 **I have changed Bucky's name to Richard Barnes**

I was an ordinary teenager until the day that World War II was begun. My older brother was already a part of the U.S. Army and so was automatically put on the front lines. My father joined the army one week later. The war tore my family and my heart. And this is my story.


	2. Chapter 1

"Mom, I'm home! Mom?"

Then I heard crying from upstairs. I dashed up the stairs, two at a time, heart pounding. I found Mom in her room, a mess on the floor, a piece of paper lying in front of her. Dread filled me head to toe. "Mom?"

Mom looked up. Tears running streaming down her face, "He's dead Jackie."

"Who Mom?! Who?!"

"Your father died fighting in no man's land. He's gone!"

I sank to the floor beside my mother. Putting a hand on her shoulder, I tried to be brave. "I'll call Auntie Margaret and Uncle Philip so you don't have to."

"Thank you Jackie" Mom whispered leaning heavily on me.

"I'm so sorry for your loss Mrs. Rogers, Jackie, Steve. I can't imagine."

 _Yeah I'll bet,_ I thought to myself. Instead I said, "Thank you Mary." Mary was our next door neighbor who tried to seem nice but she was as dangerous as a German soldier.

Suddenly I saw Richard entering the room.

"Richard!" I ran to him.

"I'm so sorry Jackie"

"Thanks. You don't know how much I've heard that today but thanks."

"I know, I know," he said enveloping me in his strong arms.

"Promise me you'll never join the army. Please!"

"I promise," came the reassuring voice that had always calmed me down ever since I was a child.

I pulled away so that Steve could embrace his best friend. It was comforting to know that my brother and I could always turn to my boyfriend because he actually understood this situation since his father died on the first day of fighting.

After about two weeks things began to settle down. School and work kept up its busy pace and routine settled in. Mom worked and took care of the garden while Steve was busy juggling work and being man of the house. That's when I found out.

"Steve! Steve!" I ran after my older brother who was hurrying towards the ever busy enlisting tent.

He turned, "You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you! Hasn't Mom been through enough without you running off to war?"

"You just don't want me to go because you want to go to war someday."

"I don't want to go to get myself killed! I just want to be a nurse and help the sick and wounded."

"They probably won't even take me. Trust me, I've tried."

"You've tried?"

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Richard joined us at my side.

Turning I said, "Steve's trying to join the war and it's not the first time either!" When I turned around Steve was gone.

"Relax. Do you really think they would take him? He's too skinny. They'd never let him join."

"Richard! Wait… did you know about this?"

"Fine. I'll go get him. You go home so your mom doesn't worry."

I watched as he ran off into the enlistment tent.

When I returned home, there was no one there. I immediately panicked. Was it my brother? I ran to my neighbor's house. As soon as the door opened, "Have you seen my mom?"

"Yes. She's talking to my mom upstairs," Mary stood at the door.

"Oh. Well, may I see her anyway?" I asked harshly.

When I reached the room upstairs, it took me less than five seconds to figure out what had happened. My mother's face and everything else. Everything just screamed _He's dead. Your brother is dead. Peter's gone!_


	3. Chapter 2

Two months later,

"Richard please tell me!"

"Why do you want to know? Don't you trust me?"

"No. No Richard I don't . I don't know where you are half of the time! You act secretly all of the time and never tell me anything anymore! Where do you go?"

Steve called from across the street, "Jackie!"

"Yeah, give me a second!"

"Go home," Richard said in a stern voice.

"Not until you tell me. Is Steve in on this?"

"Yes, but don't torture him about it. This is between you and me. Now go home Jackie," and with that he turned and stalked off.

There was something about the way he walks now. Then it struck me. He walks like a soldier! _It can't be,_ I told myself. _He promised me. He's probably right anyway. I am overreacting. Obviously._

Mom knocked on the door, "Jackie?"

"Come in"

"Richard's downstairs"

"He is?" I jumped up and headed for the door.

"Jackie"

"What?" I turned to face her.

"Just promise me you won't overreact."

 _He's going to propose?_ "I won't!" I dashed down the stairs to the sitting room.

I cracked open the door to the sitting room, heart pounding in my chest. Then I caught a glimpse of a stranger looking out the front window. I quickly flung the door wide open. The man slowly turned around. I gasped. There was Richard dressed as a sergeant.

"Hi," he smiled apologetically.

I stuttered, "H…hi? What are you playing dress up or something?"

"No, Jackie, this is me now. I enlisted as a Sergeant Richard James Barnes for the U.S. Army."

"But…but you promised!"

"I know…"

"You've never lied to me before! How dare you! What makes you think you can do that?"

"I feel called to…"

"To get yourself killed? What about my father, my brother? What about your father?"

"Jackie…"

"I trusted you!"

He took a step to embrace me, "I know…"

I took a step back, "Don't. Just don't."

"Jackie, please. Don't do this."

"Don't do this? You're kidding me right?"

I stopped because his jaw was twitching, something he only did when he was about to do something stupid (like jump off of his house when he was fifteen in order to prove he would never break a bone). "I get on the train tomorrow," he looked at the ground.

"'Get on the train' as in going off to war?" I asked shakily.

"Yes"

Tears escaped down my cheeks, "Well, don't expect me to say 'Goodbye I love you' or something like that." And I ran from the room and the entire house.

"You should at least say goodbye at the train station tomorrow," Mom broke the silence over dinner that night.

"I know and I will. I'm just making him think that I'm not."

"That's being stubborn Jackie."

Suddenly Steve spoke up, "I don't see why you would hate him for being a brave soldier in the war."

Sometimes it was really annoying to be dating your brother's best friend. They were always making excuses for each other it seems.

"Your sister just likes to be a strong and independent young woman."

"What happened to girls being proud of men going off to war?" Steve mumbled under his breath.

"I didn't say that I'm not proud of him being a sergeant for the U.S. Army! I'm just not proud of him breaking his promise to me."

"Men aren't perfect. We all make mistakes!"

"I know that!"

"Enough!" Mom stood up a stern look on her face. "We've all been through enough without you two going at each other's throats. Steve, your sister needs you right now because her boyfriend is going off to war. And Jackie, your brother's best friend is going off to war. He's not just your boyfriend. And I need you both to keep what remains of this family from falling apart."

"Yes ma'am," we both shared a glare across the table.

"Richard! Richard Barnes!" I ran towards the back of someone I knew was Richard, boarding the train. _Please don't leave when we're on bad terms. I wouldn't be able to live with myself._ "Sergeant Richard Barnes!"

He turned and scanned the boardwalk. Then he focused on me. When I finally reached him, I flung myself into his arms.

"I'm so sorry Jackie. I'm so sorry," he whispered into my hair.

I pulled back, "No, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for overreacting like that."

"You were angry. That's understandable."

"It's no excuse for making you think that I would never forgive you. Because I do Richard. I do forgive you."

"I'm going to miss you so, so much."

I smiled, "I'm going to miss you too. I love Richard."

"I love you too."

It was the first time that we told each other how we truly felt about the other. My heart warmed when I heard his response.

Then he started to lean in. My heart was pounding so loud that I was sure he could hear it. Then we kissed. It was a deep kiss that seemed to last forever. I breathed in his scent wanting to remember this moment forever.

The train hooted and he pulled away reluctantly. "Goodbye Jackie."

"Goodbye Richard."

I watched him board the train and the train fled from my sight.


	4. Chapter 3

One week later, Steve left to go visit our Aunt Susan who lived in Chicago. My uncle had died two days after Richard left.

When we reached the train station, my heart ached for all it was worth. The scene of Richard boarding the train that was overcrowded with soldiers, filled my head.

I faintly heard my mother calling me, "Jackie!"

"Oh, sorry." I turned and gave my brother a hug.

And here we are, watching my brother leave by train.

* * *

"Jackie? Would you please run to the post office for me? Steve promised me he would write and I don't have time to go."

"Sure"

When I got to the post office I spotted Emily, my childhood best friend and fellow nurse in training, sorting letters.

"Hey Jackie"

"Hey. Anything for me?"

"Yes actually. One from Chicago and one from Italy."

"Richard?"

"Probably. Unless you have a long lost cousin that you conveniently forgot to tell me about."

"Just give me the letter already."

"Letter? What about your brother?" Emily teased.

"Give me the letters! Emily!"

She laughed as I practically ripped them out of her hand, "See you at school tomorrow!"

"Bye!" I yelled over my shoulder as I yanked open the letter from Italy. It read,

 _My dearest Jackie,_

 _This letter is probably censored and hard to read but I just want you to know that I love you and I miss you every day. I hope that you get this letter but above all, I hope you can feel my love no matter where you are. I hope that you are well and that everything is well at home and with your family. Every night I think of you and our kiss. I love you Jackie. Don't you ever forget that. You are the one thing that keeps me going. Its rough out here but I am well and unharmed._ _Give a 'hello' to Mrs. Rogers and tell Steve to not do 'anything stupid until I get back'. I know this letter is short, but then again you also know that I'm not very good at putting my thoughts on paper._

 _Forever Yours,_

 _Richard Barnes_

I sighed with pure pleasure. Then, out of curiosity, I opened the letter from Steve only to discover that it wasn't from Steve. It was addressed to my mother and it read,

 _Dear Ella,_

 _I am so sorry to say this but Steve has run off to war. He found out that Richard Barnes was in the area for a few days and the two of them decided to go to the World Exhibition. Little did I know that there was an enlistment building there so I allowed him to go. I am so sorry for that. I woke up this morning to find a note on my counter. It read, Aunt Susan, I know that this is shocking but I got accepted into the U.S. Army. Please tell my family that I love them and do not mean to worry them but that I feel that it is my duty to fight on behalf of my country. Steve. I tried to send for him but he was already gone. I'm so sorry my dear Ella._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Susan_

I stared in shock. _Who in his right mind would let my brother join the army? How would I tell Mom? Maybe I won't tell Mom. No, I have to tell Mom._

* * *

Its three weeks after we got Steve's letter. Mom and I both received another from him trying to explain that he received a syringe and was now different and that he would survive. My first thought was _quite the story Steve, quite the story. You're still insane._ I received two more letters from Richard (one a week), but it was now the third week and there was still no letter. I told myself not to worry, that he's fine but it's like I can't shut my brain off as possibilities overflowed my mind.

* * *

"I am ashamed to admit," started our teacher that morning, "that there are only two graduates from our Nursing School of Brooklyn this year. Emily Brown and Jacklyn Rogers come and collect your diplomas. The rest of you… just keep studying."

I couldn't believe it! We made it!

"I am very proud of the two of you. Strong, independent young women that want to work where it is most dangerous. I sent a request to the board as soon as I realized that you would pass and here is your certificate and tickets to travel overseas."

 _I'm going to Italy!_ A part of me looked forward to being in the same camp as Richard, but a bigger part of me worried that he wouldn't be there.

"Aren't you excited?" Emily asked me later.

I was walking home, quietly listening to my friend's chatter. "I don't know. I mean, I'm excited to have graduated from nursing school but…"

"Richard still hasn't sent you a letter has he?"

I shook my head, "How did I, the tomboy of childhood, turn into a lovesick maid?"

"It happens to everyone at some point in their lives."

"Even you?" I asked with a grin.

"Maybe I will meet a strikingly handsome soldier."

I laughed, trying to shake the tension in my bones.

* * *

"So?" Mom asked as soon as I walked in the door.

"So, what?"

"Did anyone graduate?"

"Oh, yea. Emily and I did," I said not meeting her eyes. I didn't know how she would take it, her last child at home going to a place of war.

"That's great! Congratulations!"

"Thanks"

"You know, I might like to see your diploma and certificate."

"Yea, and I might not want you to see it," I snapped.

Mom fell silent. Then she spoke, "So you're going to work overseas?"

"Yea," I was quiet.

"I am very proud you know. I'm proud of all my children. I'm glad you got what you wanted."

"Really?"

"Yea," Mom said as she gave me a hug.

Tears filled my eyes (which is very unusual for me).

"What's the matter?"

"Mom. I'm going to the same camp as Richard and I don't even know if he's going to be there!"

Mom looked into my eyes, "Don't go there Jackie. Be brave! He might be wounded and in need of your help. It'll be all this worrying for nothing."

I nodded but inside, I didn't feel sure about any of that.

' _I hope you can feel my love no matter where you are.'_

 _I'm sorry Richard, but I can't!_


End file.
